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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

My daughter's friend on inappropriate website, how do I broach the topic with her grandma?

131 replies

tisrainingagain · 03/06/2014 09:44

More of a what would you do I suppose.

My dd (10) has been in a weepy confessional mood recently and very worried about small things... Eg. months ago she "picked a skittle off the playground floor, brushed it clean and ate it"... Very concerned about germs suddenly and has she done the right thing. Part of me blames myself for this thinking maybe we have stressed her out telling her to wash her hands etc? (Of course hands have to be washed before meals etc.. I don't think we are over the top, but I don't understand why she is suddenly so worried about "bad things happening". I do remember going through a similar phase but think that I was older than 10).

Anyway, that's kind of a side issue. Some of her "confessions" concern time spent at a friend's house (also 10). One of these was when the friend gave her two vitamin tablets in water (but without saying they were vitamins, saying they were her Grandad's cancer medicine) and my daughter drank it. 3 months later she told me this story in tears (but did not seem remotely upset before that). So I cleared that one up with her friend's grandma (who is the main carer) who confirmed that they had been vitamins.

Another issue was the same friend asking my dd to drink some of a bath bomb they had just made. Apparently the friend drank some and my dd says she just licked a little bit of it and then rinsed her mouth out. Again this happened a while ago and again my daughter is in tears about it now. So I said that in future if she doesn't want to do something, just to say no etc... She obviously seems to have been easily lead which I would not have thought. Maybe now she will react in a different way to things she does not want to do.

Anyway, all this is fairly trivial I suppose. Now for the bombshell. At the same friend's house, and also a long time ago (my dd says a year, don't know how exact that would be), the friend went on a website called omegle which I had never heard of, to have completely inappropriate chats with strangers at the other end. My daughter in tears again saying it was nasty stuff. I asked her to give me some examples, which she didn't want to at first, but when she did, I agree that it was nasty Shock.

So I told her how inappropriate this was for all the different reasons, and the dangers involved. And that (again) she has to stand up for what she knows is right and go and tell the adult present if something is wrong (friend's grandma was downstairs at the time). She says there were two playdates where her friend was on this website and that it hasn't happened for a long time.

My dilemma is how I broach this subject with the grandma without her feeling defensive and judged? She may well know, but maybe she doesn't? Just having the vitamin conversation with her you could see that she was slightly defensive, how defensive is she going to feel about this?

I think I do have to say something for her grandaughter's sake, but how do I phrase it?

Am also annoyed that my daughter was exposed to this, but that would not be part of my conversation with my friend (the grandma).

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pudcat · 03/06/2014 09:53

I am just wondering if there is something else that has happened recently, which your daughter is trying to build herself up to tell you about it. Is she being bullied by this friend, or being asked to do something she knows is wrong? Does she still see this friend? Seems a little strange to suddenly be so tearful and worried about events from a year ago.

tisrainingagain · 03/06/2014 09:56

Yes I don't know. She does have quite a tempestuous relationship with this friend. Sometimes she hates her and is never going to her house again etc... at other times she can't wait to go there.

Maybe puberty hormones are kicking in making her weepy? I am at the other end of the spectrum - perimonopausal (Sad) and also weepy so I can relate...

I will prompt more conversation from my daughter.

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Canthisonebeused · 03/06/2014 10:02

I would be wary of prompting more conversations tbh. I would just tell the grandmother outright about the website, maybe she is nieve to what her granddaughter is getting up to, but she certainly should be upping the supervision particularly around internet use if not in general if a 9 year old who isn't particularly sensible has access to medication.

sezamcgregor · 03/06/2014 10:04

My approach would be to be honest with the grandmother. Tell her that your DD has disclosed to you what they get up to at her house and that you are concerned about what she and her GD are going on.

Look at this MN thread which is on Chat today about Nanny software - which might be a way forward.

I'm just hoping they don't have a webcam.

Nanny0gg · 03/06/2014 10:12

You don't 'broach' the subject, you phone up grandma and you tell her straight what your DD has told you.

I wouldn't be happy about the computer access in the bedroom at all either.

Can the friend come to you to play for a while so you can keep an eye?

Cocolepew · 03/06/2014 10:16

Just tell the grandma. Tbh it sounds like your dd could be struggling with the dynamics of this friendship. I wouldnt let her back to the house for a while.

tisrainingagain · 03/06/2014 10:22

They are always keener to go to the friend's house Hmm, but yes, I am going to put the brakes on my daughter going there so often, though I do believe her when she says that the tablet incident hasn't happened for ages.

Re. telling the grandma (which I know I have to do), do I go into the details that my daughter told me (and she only told me a couple of things so who knows what else her friend was asking/saying)? How upsetting is it going to be to hear stuff like that?

I am a chicken basically Blush.

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tisrainingagain · 03/06/2014 10:23

Yes, coco, I think she does struggle with the dynamics.

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heraldgerald · 03/06/2014 10:24

Without want ing to add hysteria to something you are approaching admirably calmly, I would be extremely concerned about the supervision levels at the grandmothers house and about what impact that experience will have had, what else her friend is accessing on the web and why she is doing it. I would certainly have a Frank chat with the g m and I would as subtlety as possible avoid dd going over to play, short of outright banning it.

Nanny0gg · 03/06/2014 10:25

It may be upsetting but it's really important.

Tell her everything you know.

Give her the link to the CEOPs website:

www.thinkuknow.co.uk/Parentsold/

heraldgerald · 03/06/2014 10:26

Your not a chicken. You know it's wrong. Deep breaths and bite the bullet. This needs to be approached head on. Don't water it down either- this is dangerous for children.

tisrainingagain · 03/06/2014 10:27

Would saying something like:

"Just phoning because my daughter's name, in her current confessional weepy mood, has been upset about a chatroom called omegle which she has been on a couple of times with friend's name, while at your house. This was a while ago, did you know about it? Thought I should say in case you didn't."

Does that sound ok?

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Mrsjayy · 03/06/2014 10:27

Tell the grandmna there is no delicate way of saying yoyr gd is talking To strangers on the Internet, your dd sounds sensitive, soul this girl is being mean to her talk to your child about being gullible drinking tablets and bath bombs showx how gullible your child is and what control the friend has over her, I know imight sound dramatic but teach your girl not to be a people pleasing walk over its not fair on your dd

tisrainingagain · 03/06/2014 10:28

Missed last few messages. Thanks for advice and links.

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heraldgerald · 03/06/2014 10:28

Also talk with school. Read tanya Byron children's safety in the digital age. Very balanced review of the impact of internet ect.

tisrainingagain · 03/06/2014 10:30

Thx Mrsjavy I agree. I wish I had taken more of my daughter's sometimes really disliking this girl on board.

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heraldgerald · 03/06/2014 10:30

Sounds ok- make sure you font end up minimising the 'nasty' stuff. Gm needs to know.

sezamcgregor · 03/06/2014 10:31

The website does say:

"you agree to the following terms: Do not use Omegle if you are under 13. If you are under 18, use it only with a parent/guardian's permission. Do not transmit nudity, sexually harass anyone, publicize other peoples' private information, make statements that defame or libel anyone, violate intellectual property rights, or behave in any other inappropriate or illegal way on Omegle. Understand that human behavior is fundamentally uncontrollable, that the people you encounter on Omegle may not behave appropriately, and that they are solely responsible for their own behavior. Use Omegle at your own peril. Disconnect if anyone makes you feel uncomfortable. You may be denied access to Omegle for inappropriate behavior, or for any other reason."

They are quite obviously not 18, or even 13 and there's definitely no parental permission.

I saw a horrible article about children being made to do things on websites like this, and they were told that if they didn't show the person x y and z, that they would come to their house/tell their parents what they had been doing etc. It is very important to make this stop NOW before it gets serious.

Cocolepew · 03/06/2014 10:33

I would phone and say your dd was upset by a website she saw the GD on and give an example. Tough shit if she goes on the defensive, you don't have to stay on the phone with her.

Really the other girl is bullying/dominating your DD.

tisrainingagain · 03/06/2014 10:37

Would it be ok to phone her and say roughly what happened and that I have sent her an email (which I haven't yet) where I talk about it in more detail. In an email I can write calmly and get all points across. My friend would also then have time to digest it all without having to refute it etc...

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Cocolepew · 03/06/2014 10:41

Yes that would do fine, IMO. . You need to bite the bullet and phone. Its one of those things where the more you think about it the harder it becomes!

BellaVita · 03/06/2014 10:44

This "Omegle" site is horrible. The friend definitely needs to be stopped going on.

We use the parental blocks through our phone provider (BT), perhaps you could suggest to the grandma/parent that she looks at something like this?

DenzelWashington · 03/06/2014 10:51

I don't think your suggested form of words is ok, sorry. You are being too apologetic and too indirect. Just tell Grandma that your DD has disclosed they went on this website and had inappropriate chats with complete strangers on two occasions.

And I think a break from seeing this girl would be a god idea. It strikes me, given your daughter is upset, that something more has happened that your daughter is struggling with. She may be being bullied, who knows, but going to the grandmother's house should not be an option for a while.

tisrainingagain · 03/06/2014 10:57

Ok. My proposed email reads (A is my daughter, B is her friend).

Dear my friend

In her current weepy confessional mood, A told me this morning, about a website B and her had been on during playdates at your house, (apparently on two different occasions, both about a year ago A says). It is called "omegle", and seems to be an adult chatroom. A would not tell me what the content of the conversation with strangers was at first but told me it was "nasty stuff". When pressed she told me it was about sex, and said that willy size and undressing were mentioned. She would not tell me more than that and was upset about it.

Again, I don't know why this stuff is coming out now, maybe she understands things more.

I discussed the inappropriateness of it etc. She said it hasn't happened for a long time. You may know about this, but in case you don't I thought I should say.

I wish we did not have to contend with the dangers of the internet.

Love from me xx

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tisrainingagain · 03/06/2014 11:00

I have made it sound like they both went on this website when I know this was not the case (I hope!)... but it sounds too finger pointing if I phrase it any other way.

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